From November 7 to 9, sponsored by China UN Association and organized by Southeast University, the eleventh session of the general assembly of the China National Model United Nations Conference was held on Sipailou Campus of Southeast University in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. This Conference attracted a great number of youth leaders from universities overseas including the University of New South Wales (Australia) and Macao University of Science and Technology, youth elites from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and young diplomats from over 120 prestigious universities in mainland China. Around 500 teachers and students participated in the conference, ranging from Peking University, Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, Renmin University of China, Xiamen University, China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai International Studies University, Beijing Language and Culture University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Sichuan University of Foreign Languages to Southeast University. It was the first time the national Model United Nations Conference was held in East China, and it was also of the largest scale among all the previous China National Model United Nations Conferences. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, China United Nations Association, Australian ambassador to China all sent congratulatory letters to the conference. Before the opening ceremony, secretary of the Party committee in Southeast University, Guo Guangyin and deputy secretary of the Party committee and vice president, Liu Bo, met with representatives from Australian Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, the China Model United Nations Association, the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and China National Committee on Ageing.
At 3 p.m. November 7th, the opening ceremony of the 11th China National Model United Nations Conference was held at the auditorium on Sipailou Campus of Southeast University. The ceremony was presided by Chen Meihua, dean of the School of Foreign Languages, Southeast University. Distinguished guests present at the opening ceremony included Lu Shumin, president of China United Nations Association; Pu Yuepu, vice president of Southeast University; Natasha, deputy director of the bureau of international cooperation, Australian Human Rights Commission; Wang Xuexian, representative of the International Department of the P.R.C. Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Chen Shiqiu, vice president of China United Nations Association, the main coordinator of the judges of the conference; Liu Zhixian, vice president and general director of China United Nations Association; Jiang Xuguang, secretary of the Party committee of the administrative office of Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs; and Xiao Caiwei, deputy director of the office of China National Committee on Ageing and executive director of China United Nations Association. On the opening ceremony, Vice President Pu Yuepu, President Lu Shumin, Deputy Director Natasha, Ambassador Wang Xuexian and Ambassador Chen Shiqiu delivered speeches.
With the theme of Follow-up Actions of the International Year of the Elderly People: the 2nd World Assembly on Aging, this year China National Model United Nations set 3 commissions working on the following topics: precautions against the abuse of and the violence against the elderly, mental health improvement and mental disorder prevention for the elderly and providing decent jobs and employment security for the elderly. This conference also featured a press center, where student delegates working for 8 model news agencies such as the Associated Press and the Xinhua News Agency gave reports on this conference.
The China National Model United Nations is said to be the most influential one of its kind in China. Since the first official conference in 2004, ten sessions have been held in northern China, northwestern China, southern China, central China and other regions with an increasing number of participants. The present session is one of the projects within the framework of China-Australia Technical Cooperation on Human Rights and is funded by the Human Rights Commission of Australia and Southeast University.
Since Southeast University won the bid for holding the conference this April, guided by university leaders and supported by relevant departments, the School of Foreign Languages of Southeast University has been making preparations for this conference for six months to ensure its success.
(Translated by Su Jiaqian and Song Ting)
